Anything And Everything You Should Know About Workout

Fitness and nutrition experts weigh in on 11 of the most pressing questions about working out.

- Jaclyn Emerick

Can you run off or out-lift cellulite?

Good news: You can. “Cellulite is just uneven fat,” says Wayne Westcott, professor of exercise science at Quincy University in the US, who’s been studying cellulite since 2001. “You can’t spot-reduce to get rid of it, but you can spot-strengthen.”

Wayne’s anti-cellulite plan: First, 10 to 20 minutes of cardio intervals to help melt fat all over. “You burn carbs during these workout periods, then fat during rest as your body tries to replace the carbs to re-energise you.” Next, do strength moves to rebuild the muscles under the clumps; this will smooth them out.

His research shows that people get the best results with what he calls the “double-eight” format: Do one set of eight reps of a move (say, a squat if you’re trying to get rid of cellulite on your butt) at a light to moderate weight. 

Rest 30 seconds. Then double the weight and do eight more reps. “This primes the muscles so that by the second set, you can lift a weight that would otherwise seem intimidating, which helps you tone up faster.”

Why do the first few minutes of cardio always feel so hard?

There’s a lag between the moment you step on a treadmill and when your body realises it’s in for a run; your energy demands ramp up faster than your ability to bring in oxygen to meet them, hence the initial huffing and puffing as your system scrambles to find some fuel.